[PLUG] Dual Boot Partitioning Suggestions Please

[Miller, Jeremy]

> So my questions are:
> 
> 1) How many partitions and what size for each?

Hmmm.  If it's just for trying stuff out, I'd do this with 10Gb:

1.  Wipe it totally clean.
2.  Create 1 partition for Win98.  (I'd guess 2GB, but that depends on how
much room you'll need there.)
3.  Format that partition (fat32 I guess... the installation will do it) and
install Win98.

Then you can get to work on the real system. :)

Take the remaining space (8 GB in this case) and divy it up... there's so
many ways to do it (separate /boot, /var, /usr/local, etc) but just for your
own laptop and messing around with I'd do:


swap 		based on mem.... I'd do 128MB or so
/		3GB
/home		the remainder (almost 5GB)


At this point you'd have a total of 4 simple partitions, all of which can be
"primary".  (Avoiding the whole logical partitions thing.)  You'd tell the
install to put your bootloader in the MBR, and it will be able to load
everything.  You should't really have to worry about the location of your
/boot anymore, either.


If you want a separate /var (not a terrible idea... apt will use a lot of
space in there just by itself) make /home a little smaller.  If you don't,
just pay attention to your disk usage, clean the apt-cache and logs once in
a while and don't let your root fill up. :)

Basically give yourself plenty of room for lots of programs and goodies,
plus a big enough storage spot (/home) that you never delete.  (Survives
from one linux install to the next.  So when you try out slack or gentoo,
your stuff stays with you... just wipe out root and install the new system
there.)  


> 2) What order to install, i.e. Win98 first or Debian first?


Win98 first, so it doesn't whine and complain about things it doesn't
understand.  (Or blow out your MBR... which it probably will.  Easier to
install grub or lilo and dual boot after it is already there anyway.)


> 3) I have a broadband connection. Is it practical to do an 
> installation
>    over the net, or should I download images and burn CD's? I 
> have a CD
>    burner on my other RH machine.

Downloading would be no sweat.  In fact, I'd recommend it.  (Debian,
Progeny, Libranet, and so forth all did fine for me over cable.)  To get
started, you'd need either boot disks or a boot CD.  The official ones would
start you out on Potato (debian 2.2 aka stable) which is a tad dated.  The
"testing" branch is pretty up to date, and seems stable enough for anything
short of serious server duty.  There are "network installation boot CD's"
for the testing branch and they've worked good for me.  (Less hassle than
floppies for me.)

Find them here:

http://www.debian.org/CD/netinst/ 


Also, at one point in the installation you'll get to choose between certain
default configurations, or to go custom.  DO NOT CHOOSE CUSTOM.  It will put
you in dselect, which would be absolutely horrid if you don't know how to
use it.  Especially in comparison to the way "custom" installations in
Mandrake and RedHat work.  (Including the console installations.)  It'd be
easier to drop things you don't want and add things you didn't get by using
apt after you are done.  For now, at least.


Other tips:

The list of locations apt looks for installing/upgrading stuff is in
/etc/apt/sources.list.  Some lines might be commented out (security updates
in particular) by default.  Uncomment them.  (This will probably make more
sense to you once you actually see the file.)

Want something?  Run "apt-get update" to freshen up the lists.  "apt-get
install foo" to install foo.  "apt-get remove foo" to get rid of it.
"apt-get upgrade" to upgrade all of your programs to their latest
versions/patches.  There's lots more, but that is good to start.


Good luck!


Jeremy


> Thanks in advance.
> 
> -- 
> Regards,
> 
> Dick Steffens
> "Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati"
> http://rsteff.home.attbi.com/
> 
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